Obituary of Rafael Salinas Vela Sr

Rafael Salinas Vela Sr “El Jude”, 61 of Port Isabel, Texas, passed away on Saturday, September 23, 2017.

Rafael was born and raised in Port Isabel and a member of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Port Isabel. He was a Chef Kitchen manager at Padre Island Brewing Company for 20 years. He was a well-known chef of the Laguna Madre Area. He started at Sandy Retreat Restaurant as a cook before moving onto the Tiki Restaurant, and then to the Brew Pub. He was an avid Dallas Cowboys fan and a Port Isabel Tarpons fan. He had a love for music, especially George Strait music, his all-time idol. Rafael loved his sons and grandkids. He was all about family. His two boys were his pride and joy. He loved his wife dearly and was devoted to his job. A true and honest man of very few words, always smiling and loved joking, he will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by: his parents, Alfonso and Manuela Salinas Vela; maternal grandparents, Melchor and Elvira Salinas; paternal grandparents, Guadalupe and Simona Vela; two brothers: Jose Maria Vela and Martin Vela; two sisters: Mary Ann Vela and Mary Ida Vela; and his mother in law, Maria Piedad Velasquez Contreras.

Left to cherish his memories is his loving wife, Maria N. Vela, “Niki”; his sons: Rafael Vela Jr. and Ruben Vela; and two grandchildren: Nicholas Vela and Jacob Vela; brothers and sisters: Alfonso (+Elvia) Vela Jr., Manuel (Graciela) Vela, Frances Vela, Diana Vela, Guadalupe (Elizabeth) Vela, Margarita (Ramon) Ramirez, Enrique Vela, Delfina Vela, Nilda Vela, Mary (+Jerry) Cruz, Melchor (Christina) Vela; his father-in-law Anastacio Hernandez Gomez; as well as his nieces, nephews, great and great-great-nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 26, 2017 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Thomae-Garza Funeral Home. Visitation will continue from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with a holy rosary at 7:00 p.m., at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 705 S. Longoria Street in Port Isabel, Texas.

Funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 27, 2017 at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Port Isabel City Cemetery.

Serving as pallbearers: Rafael Vela Jr, Ruben Vela, Andres Hernandez, Gilberto Vela, Guadalupe Vela, Mark Haggenmiller, Juan Salinas, and Jaime Solis Sr.

You may sign the online guestbook and send words of comfort, flowers, or sympathy cards to the family of Rafael Salinas Vela Sr. at: www.thomaegarza.com.

Funeral arrangements entrusted to the care of Thomae-Garza Funeral Directors and Crematorium, 395 S. Sam Houston, San Benito, Texas, (956) 399-1331.